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Written in My Own Heart's Blood
Written in My Own Heart's Blood is the eighth novel in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Main Characters * Claire Fraser: The story's protagonist, a middle-aged physician who was born in the the 20th century, but has transported herself to the 18th-century Scotland, where she fell in love with a Highland warrior Jamie Fraser. After living for twenty years apart, they were reunited in 1766 and have settled in North Carolina. During the American Revolutionary War, Claire works as surgeon for the Continental army. * James "Jamie" Fraser: Former heir to the Lallybroch estate in Scotland, and proprietor of the Fraser's Ridge estate in North Carolina. Jamie is a high-ranking officer in the George Washington's Continental army. * Brianna MacKenzie: Daughter of Claire and Jamie, who was raised in the 20th-century Boston, but has later lived with her parents and her husband Roger in the 18th century for seven years. She was forced to return to the 20th century due to her daughter's heart condition. She is an engineer. * Roger MacKenzie: Brianna's Scottish husband, a historian. * Jeremiah MacKenzie: Nine-year-old son of Brianna and Roger. * Ian Fraser Murray: Jamie's nephew, who has moved with Jamie and Claire to America. Ian had lived with a Mohawk tribe for 2.5 years, but returned to the Fraser's Ridge. He is an Indian scout, with allegiance to the Continental army. * William Ransom: Ninth Earl of Ellesmere, Captain in the British Royal Army, and Jamie's illegitimate son. * Lord John Grey: Lieutenant-colonel in the British Royal Army, Jamie's longtime friend, William's stepfather and Claire's erstwhile husband. Plot The story concerns the story arcs of multiple characters from the previous novel, An Echo in the Bone. In June of 1778, the world turns upside-down. The British army withdraws from Philadelphia, prepares to move from Valley Forge in pursuit, and Jamie Fraser comes back from the dead to discover that his best friend has married Jamie's wife. The ninth Earl of Ellesmere discovers to his horror that he is, in fact, the illegitimate son of the newly-resurrected Jamie Fraser (a rebel and a Scottish criminal!) and Jamie's nephew Ian Murray discovers that his newfound cousin has an eye for Ian's Quaker betrothed. Meanwhile, Claire Fraser deals with an asthmatic duke, , and the fear that one of her husbands may have murdered the other. And in the 20th century, Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna, is thinking that things are probably easier in the 18th century: her son has been kidnapped, her husband has disappeared into the past, and she's facing a vicious criminal with nothing but a stapler in her hand. Fortunately, her daughter has a miniature cricket bat and her mother's pragmatism. Timeline of Significant Events |-|1770s= : **Percy warns Grey that William is in danger from Captain Richardson. Grey escapes from the Continental army camp to find his son. **William is knocked unconscious by Hessian grenadiers. Ian finds him but is assaulted by two Indians. He then reaches Jamie and takes a few soldiers to get help for William. **Grey reaches the British army's camp and is kept prisoner. After a while, another group of prisoners is brought, Ian Murray among them. **Claire is shot. Jamie resigns his commision to stay with her, and Denzell Hunter performs a surgery to retrieve the bullet. **Grey is reunited with William and Hal. Ian kills one of the Indians who attacked him earlier, and leaves the British camp. *June 29–early July: **Jane and Fanny disappear from the army followers' camp, and William goes to look for them. **Claire is recovering. Lord John and his brother Hal pay Jamie a visit to ask for a letter of introduction to General Arnold. They are searching for William and Hal's son Benjamin, who was taken by rebels months earlier and is rumored to be dead. **Having located Jane and Fanny, William meets Rachel Hunter. They find Ian Murray, who was shot with an arrow during the battle and is fevered. Rachel takes Jane and Fanny to a Quaker settlement, while William transports Ian to Jamie. **William, who has resigned his commision, comes to Lord John's house and offers to search for Benjamin. *Late July/early August: **A double Quaker wedding takes place in Philadelphia – Denzell Hunter is married to Dottie Grey, and Ian Murray to Rachel Hunter. *September: **Jamie starts preparations for the journey back to Fraser's Ridge. Fergus and Marsali receive threats. }} |-|1980= |-|1739= to look for Jerry MacKenzie. Roger gives his father a gem, so that Jerry could go back to is own time through a stone circle. **Roger and Buck meet Geillis Duncan. *December 21: **Brianna, Jemmy and Mandy arrive at Craigh na Dun. Roger meets them outside of Lallybroch. }} Trivia *In June 1778, Claire is 61½ and Jamie is 57. By the end of the novel in June 1779, Claire is 62½ and Jamie is 58. *By the end of the novel, Brianna is 32½, Roger is about 41, Jem is 9, and Mandy is 3. Book Covers Maps External Resources *Point of view guide – A chapter-by-chapter breakdown of character points of view. Includes dates for chapters when noted. References Category:Novels Category:Novels in the Outlander series Category:Books